HELENA, Mont. (Diya TV) — Kareshmaa Kaur Jagroop, a 42-year-old commercial truck driver from Ontario, Canada, has pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking after U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered approximately 66 pounds of cocaine concealed in watermelon pallets. The discovery was made as Jagroop attempted to enter Canada at the Montana border.
Jagroop’s admission of guilt, presented in U.S. District Court in Great Falls, could result in a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and a minimum of three years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
The court proceedings revealed that in July 2021, a commercial truck was traveling northbound on Interstate 15 near the Sweetgrass Port of Entry in Toole County. Customs and Border Protection officers signaled the truck to stop as it approached the border in the outbound lane. Despite the signal, the driver, Jagroop, ignored it and continued past the outbound booth.
Officers pursued the truck, eventually prompting it to stop. Subsequently, Jagroop was instructed to reverse the truck back to the outbound booth for inspection. A screening machine revealed potential anomalies in the trailer, leading officers to conduct a manual search. Upon unloading the contents with a forklift, officers discovered two pallets of watermelons containing a plastic bag with approximately 66 pounds of cocaine.
During an interview, Jagroop disclosed that she had entered the United States about a week before the stop and had been delivering produce to supermarkets in Oregon and California. She later admitted to transporting cocaine on behalf of a Canadian group.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris has scheduled Jagroop’s sentencing for May 23. Pending further proceedings, Jagroop has been released on conditions to a treatment center in Montana.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Starnes, with the investigation conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.
